Flowers in the House

Jane is kindly hosting Flowers in the House.

Euporatium rugosa  'Chocolate'

I moved this dark leaved Euporatium in the Spring. I had planted it close to the house and it did not seem happy. It has only been moved a few feet but it has made a huge difference as it's new home is damper. I haven't been able to pick it for a vase before as there have only been one or two flowers.

Scented leaf Pelargoniums

These Pelargoniums have been in the garden all summer. They are not hardy so I have moved them to the sunny warm porch. I lost the ones I had last year which I kept in the garage.

Three weeks ago I wrote about preserving leaves in glycerine. The leaves are now a lovely chocolate colour and I am especially pleased with the berries.

 I'm not sure how to display them yet although I am thinking about a terracotta pot.

A new purchase from a charity shop. I think summery alchemilla and roses will look good in it next year.

Flowers in the House

Jane is kindly hosting Flowers in the House today.

This the jug of flowers from last weeks blog. My north facing kitchen no longer gets any sun; the flowers are lasting much longer. My kitchen only gets early morning sun for about three months a year but I didn't think it would make so much difference.

Also on the windowsill are these leaves, berries and hips. They are in a glycerine solution to preserve them. The oak leaves are some I found after the wind last week. A lot of the leaves were too dry but these are taking up the solution. The Rowan leaves are from the tree in my garden. I have no idea how the berries and rose hips will turn out.

This is a hoop I made from oak leaves preserved in glycerine last year. It has lasted really well, I shall be hanging it again this year.

More from the cutting garden

More plants have flowered since my last blog.

This vase was bought for 50p from a charity shop and contains hardy annuals from the garden'

One of the flowers in the vase above is this fab Sweet Pea called 'Midnight'. It has a strong scent and long stems. I highly recommend it.

 Another favourite is 'Nelly Viner'. This is also scented (I cannot see the point of unscented Sweet Peas) and long stems.

I am having trouble keeping Larkspur going. I am wondering if I don't water them enough.

This is a new one for this year, Godetia amoena Memoria. I really like, and it seems to last well in the vase.

I am still waiting for Cosmos 'Dazzler' to flower, as well as the Nigellas.

Rain at last

Since I last blogged we have had rain, for a couple of nights it was very heavy so the garden has had a good drink. It has also been slightly cooler, more like May should be.

The garden is still showing the effects of the mad weather over the past few weeks. The rose 'Gertrude Jekyll' is already in flower and the foxgloves are starting to open but they are half the height they should be. The Lupin 'Gallery Rose' is also starting to flower.


On my kitchen windowsill is a small jug bought yesterday from a charity shop. I've put in some 'Gertrude Jekyll' roses and Aquilegias with some foliage.

'Gertrude Jekyll' Roses with Aquilegias

I've also treated myself to some 'Sarah Bernhardt' peonies. I have recently planted some of these lovely flowers but I think it will be a year or two before I see any blooms.

'Sarah Bernhardt' Peonies

Another plant that has required patience is Ilex aquifolium  'J C van Tol'. This is a holly that is almost spine free. I planted it two years ago and it is in flower for the first time. Hopefully, there will be berries later in the year.

Ilex aquifolium  'J C van Tol'

I have been planting more seedlings for cut flowers. This is a wigwam made from the straight pieces that also grow amongst the contorted stems of Corylus contorta, the Corkscrew Hazel. These straight stems used to really annoy me but now I am happy to have them as they are so useful. I've wrapped string around the poles and planted sweet peas. 

Wigwam made from Hazel

Flowers In The House Monday

Today is Flowers In The House Monday.  I don't have flowers to pick from the garden at the moment but I do like to have a jug of something of the kitchen sink. I bought these Cornish Daffodils from the supermarket. As you can see Fridays lovely weather hasn't lasted.

Cut flowers

I'm pleased with both these jugs of flowers. The first one is from my own garden. The hot dry weather seems to have slowed down the flowering of some plants but I gathered enough for this one.

This photograph was taken in the garden where I am a volunteer. There were no flowers here so we sowed hardy annuals to provide colour over the summer months.  I haven't been able to visit for three weeks, I was really pleased to see them doing so well.

The Ammi came from the seeds I sowed for my own garden, I will look through the seed box at the centre for the varieties of the other flowers which include Calendula (Marigolds) Cornflowers and Candytuft. The foliage is mint.We sowed them straight into the ground with the intention of transplanting them elsewhere in the garden, but some died so we left them where they were.